ACADEMIC WRITING RESOURCE
Avoiding Personal Pronouns: Maintaining Scholarly Distance
In school, we are often taught to write from the heart. However, in the 2026 higher education landscape, the “Self” is often viewed as a source of bias. Academic writing is generally objective, meaning the focus should be on the evidence and the argument, not the person behind the keyboard.
Using personal pronouns like “I,” “me,” “my,” “we,” or “us” can inadvertently make your claims sound like personal opinions rather than verified scholarly conclusions. To achieve a High Distinction, you must learn to step back and let the research speak for itself.
Why "I" is Often Avoided
Scholarly Distance
It creates a professional barrier between the researcher and the data
Universal Validity
A claim like "I found that X is true" sounds limited to your experience. "The data indicates that X is true" sounds like a universal fact
Reduced Bias
It removes the "subjective" element, making your work appear more balanced and fair.
Techniques for Removing the "Self"
You don’t need to change your ideas just the way you introduce them. Here are the three primary KM strategies for replacing personal pronouns:
The "Third Person" Approach
Refer to the document or the research as the entity doing the work.
Subjective: "In this essay, I will look at the impact of..."
Objective: "This essay examines the impact of..."
Objective: "The present study explores the relationship between..."
The "Evidence-First" Swap
Make the data or the author the subject of the sentence.
Subjective: "I believe that Smith’s theory is flawed."
Objective: "Smith’s theory appears to have significant limitations when..."
Objective: "The evidence suggests that Smith’s initial premises are..."
Focus on the Action (The "Passive" Shield)
As discussed in Resource #6, the passive voice is perfect for hiding the "I" in methodology.
Subjective: "I interviewed twelve participants."
Objective: "Twelve participants were interviewed to ensure a diverse range of..."
The "Reflective" Exception
In 2026, there are specific instances where “I” is not only allowed but required. This is common in Reflective Writing (Nursing, Education, Social Work, and some Arts degrees).
If your assignment rubric asks for a Reflective Journal or an Auto-ethnography, you must use “I” because you are the subject of the study. However, for standard reports, essays, and theses, the “Objective Shield” remains the gold standard.
Subjective vs. Objective: Comparison Table
Subjective Phrase (Avoid) | Objective Alternative (Use)
• In my opinion → It can be argued that
• I have concluded that → The findings suggest that
• We can see that → It is evident that
• I think this is because → This may be attributed to
• My research found → The results revealed
The KM "Neutrality" Audit
Removing “I” from a 5,000-word paper is more difficult than it looks. It often requires restructuring entire paragraphs to ensure the logic still flows. If you are struggling to make your paper sound “academic” enough, a KM Academic Specialist can perform a Neutrality & Tone Audit. We will help you remove the subjective “Self” while keeping your unique insights intact.